Activists criticize forestry minister

Activists criticize forestry minister

JAKARTA: Environmental activists criticized new Minister of
Forestry M.S. Ka'ban for encouraging exploitation of forests to
help the country collect more income.

Longgena Ginting, director of the Indonesian Forum for the
Environment (Walhi), said on Tuesday that forests should no
longer serve as a cash cow, because they were now severely
depleted.

Longgena said the minister's statement clearly proved he did
not really understand the situation.

Ka'ban claimed also said that the forestry sector contributed
US$9 million to the state budget under then minister of forestry
Muhammad "Bob" Hasan.

The new forestry minister had no idea about the impacts of
deforestation, added Longgena. -- Antara